Prosecutor says evidence will show defendant shot partner; deputies, detectives describe scene and recordings

BEAUMONT, Texas — The State of Texas told jurors in the 252nd District Court on the first full day of testimony in State v. Tracy Marie Samuel that evidence will show the defendant intentionally shot Delbert Charles "Charlie" Lewis in the early morning hours of Sept. 27, 2023.

During opening statements, prosecutor Mr. Nichols told jurors they would hear that Samuel got up in the night, used crack cocaine and that officers and detectives would show the gun recovered from the home and evidence contradicting Samuel’s claim that the weapon simply “went off.” "Guns don't just go off," Nichols said.

Why it matters: The testimony and recordings admitted Tuesday are central to the state’s case that the shooting was not accidental. Jurors heard initial patrol responses, recovered evidence and follow-up investigative steps that prosecutors say link Samuel to the shooting; the victim later died of his wounds, and the investigation was upgraded from aggravated assault to homicide.

What patrol deputies said

Deputy Jordan Silva testified that he and Deputy Tim Norris were among the first officers to arrive at a raised, stilt-style house off Hillibrand Road around 4:20–4:30 a.m. Silva said he found a Black male, identified at the scene as Delbert Charles Lewis, lying on the bedroom…